Hammer Class Destroyer
The Hammer was initially created by the Vorxians in the war against the Sorem, originally it isn't even outfitted with a Jump Drive or shields as it was made prior either were invented by the Vorxians. The Hammer is a rather small ship and initially is by no means capable of independent operations. The Hammer underwent multiple upgrades throughout the centuries and maintains use as the primary and most common destroyer of the Vorxian fleet against the Eridani and beyond. Being retrofitted with shield generators and Jump Drives they even were converted into standalone ships capable of carrying on long missions eventually even being nearly completely automated. These developments lead to the idea of drone destroyers which the Hammer eventually becomes in one of its latest evolutions. MD-1 Hammer The MD-1 Hammer was not designed to fit any mission parameters that might need it to be independent. The MD-1 was one of the Vorxian's first designated warships and in its day was one of the best. Traditionally they would hunt in packs flying through space at very high speeds making strikes that would become the very popular hit and run tactics of a destroyer. Of course they were very expendable, as they were poorly designed and built, nevertheless the Hammer was vital to the Vorxian control of Trayshal in the early years. As previously stated, the MD-1 was poorly designed and built. Being armed with nothing but 24 class 1 missile launchers, even these were weak in its day. The MD-1 utilized its superior speed to be able to successfully hit targets, with top speeds of nearly 1000 m/s it had next to no maneuverability and only forward facing fixed weapon systems. The weaknesses of the MD-1 are quite obvious and the Sorem took advantage whenever they could, but was clearly not enough because the MD-1's consequential simplicity allowed for great numbers, and of course to follow this the MD-1 frequently only required 3 crew members at the most in order to function. MD-2 Hammer The MD-2 Hammer was definitely an improvement from the MD-1, but underwent enough trial phases by the time it was produced conflict with the Eridani had opened up and the need for a better destroyer had already made the MD-2 just as out of date as the MD-1. Only a handful were finished by the time the 1st Eridani War broke out and they were all decimated by the Eridani's superior capital ships. The MD-2 featured the first Jump Drive made by the Vorxians and much better engine power reaching cruising speeds of nearly 1600 m/s. The armor plating was increased and the weapon systems were improved to house class 3 missiles but still restricted them to only forward facing mounts. Even these improvements were not enough against the Eridani, so it was good that the Vorxians already had superior warships to the Hammer. So, rather than repeating their strategies used against the Sorem, Vorxian fleets took on new tactics. MD-3 Hammer The MD-3 Hammer was requisitioned by the Vorxian Imperium ''just years before it was discontinued. The '' Imperium ''had been working on researching lightweight armor plating and had improved weapon systems. Designs for the MD-3 barely classified as a new ship, the ''Grand Empire of Eldrin ''used this as propaganda since nobody had known about the ''Imperium's ''work so the ''Empire took all credit and presented the slight improvements as an entirely new model of the classic destroyer. Regardless, the new Hammer had only slightly better speed and power output with even smaller improvements in weapon systems. Despite this, the MD-3 and the MD-2 were distinguishable in combat, making several crews issue requests for the MD-3 making it rise in numbers greater than the MD-1, which had previously been the most popular destroyer in the Vorxian Fleet. In fact, the MD-3 performs well enough for about 400 years before an improved version was needed. MD-4 Hammer The fourth iteration of the Hammer was started in complete secrecy by the ''Vorxian Shadow Guard ''as a response to the Erravi and Dark Market cloaking technology. The Shadow Guard first officially used the MD-4 in 112 NE against the Erravi and the Dark Market, as the difference between the targets was unknown this early on. The MD-4 has the first Vorxian shield array installed that is capable of emitting multi layer shielding as well as internal shield arrays which protect against disasters such as chain reaction and decompression. The MD-4 also is the first recorded Vorxian ship to have scan evasion and holographic decoy emitting technology- though because of its subversive origins the versions to have such specifications either was lost or never actually existed. Regardless, each MD-4 was made to be better at everything; better armor made to be even lighter than the MD-3's, an extra 8 class 5 missile launchers while upgrading the entire array to house class 5's as well, improved power plant and maneuverability, five extra MK3 Jump Drives bringing the count to 6 MK3's, even compacting space to provide limited cargo space and a cryo pod. The minimum and maximum crew became 2 standard, with one control panel and one stasis chamber it's clear the ship was made to do highly classified operations. Once war actually broke out between the Trayshal and Erravi systems, the Shadow Guard had enough already made to assimilate them into the Fleet, and mass production begun, thus bringing it into the fold. The MD-4 proved itself a worthy combatant against the Vorxian's enemies and though it wasn't necessary, the Vorxians began R&D for an even better model. MD-5 Hammer The fifth and most notorious version of the classic Hammer Destroyer, but not the most popular. Issued during the war with the Erravi and Dark Market, the development of the MD-5 was taken in strides, and leaps thanks to the pillaging of tech from the enemy. The Hammer was given the first non-experimental and first formally constructed stealth drive, and a cloaking device to match. The nature of the MD-5 carried on a similar nature to that of the MD-4, but was much better at it. Armed to the teeth with 28 class 6 missile tubes and 6 automated class 2 missile launchers the MD-5 was a roving menace. It kept nearly the same speed and power plant but there's a catch, the design of the Hammer cut off the two side fins and shortened the dorsal fins, making it much lighter and decreasing its profile. So obviously some improvements were made to the engines and the armor plating; not to mention that they kept 6 Jump Drives, just made the better by upgrading to an MK4 model giving the Hammer a range higher than most exploration ships of the Vorxian Fleet. The MD-5 was better in every single way, but after the need for even larger capital ships arose, the destroyer class as a whole almost got scrapped by the Vorxians after the Eridani Fleet presented a Dreadnaught Class, the MD-5 just couldn't compete anymore with these large vessels so production was cut down a sizeable amount and most had the stealth capabilities removed and were converted to Civilian Escort craft. A new MD-6 Class was put into the works to be a different breed of destroyers but was scrapped and the desgins were changed into a DD-6 model, this was the end of the Hammer's beloved service to the Vorxian Fleet, . DD-6 Hammer This final make of the Hammer doesn't need a successor. Equipped with detection capabilities and firepower to take on waves and waves of small craft, the Hammer was stronger and tougher and faster. With a couple catches however; the Jump Drives were removed and so was the cargo space and the cryo tube. The focus of the Hammer was no longer aggressive action, the role became a drone defense craft made to protect military targets ranging from installations to Carriers. The DD-6 has multiple variations unlike the models that came before including Civilian makes which bring nostalgia by being manned by 3 crew and performing classic hit and runs with precision. Category:Ships of the Galtrax Galaxy